AFCON
Ahead of AFCON Draw: It’s Destination Morocco, Where Sports Flow in Royal Veins
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Kunle Solaja at the indoor training pitch of Mohammed VI Football Complex, Rabat.
The clock ticks down to 18h00 GMT on Monday when the draw for the final competition of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be held at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat.
Then the roadmap would have been laid for the first Africa Cup of Nations to be held in December and spilling to the following year.
It triggers the series of football competitions that the Kingdom of Morocco will hold this year.
The kingdom has always been the sports destination on the continent. Great thanks to the facilities that Morocco has put in place.
From great stadiums to world-class hotels, and efficient communication and transportation systems, Morocco offers a plug-and-play scenario making it the ultimate destination for hosting events, even at short notice.
One of the outlandish facilities is the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
It was founded in 2009 in Salé, on the instigation of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, in his letter to the National Sports Conference held in Skhirat on October 24, 2008.
In this Royal letter, His Majesty the King called for the development of a modern and efficient system to organize the sports sector based on the restructuring of the national sports landscape and the upgrading of sports.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy, the jewel that produces Moroccan stars, was built according to criteria that correspond to the best international standards in terms of training centers in order to put in place the conditions for the training of Moroccan talents, enabling them to play in the biggest soccer clubs, whether in Morocco or in Europe.
One of the items that catches the attention at the vast entry lounge is a huge framed picture of the reception accorded the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations winning team of Morocco.
The reception of the AFCON winning team of Morocco in 1976. In the middle and wearing a blue suit is Prince Mohammed who is today, King Mohammed VI.
All the players in the picture wore maroon-coloured suits. In the middle of the group picture is a young boy, then 13. He wore a blue suit and a striped tie.
That was the then Prince Mohammed who is today, King Mohammed VI. The magnificent football complex in Rabat is named after him.
Information gathered that there are three more such football training complexes, though on a lower scale, in Morocco while others are still being planned.
King Mohammed’s association with sports, especially football therefore predated his ascension to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the passing on of his father, King Hassan II.
Football in Morocco has blossomed under King Mohammed VI. In 2022, Moroccan clubs were holders of both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
Women’s football has received a big boost as the Moroccan women’s team made a debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
Before King Mohammed VI’s reign, the Moroccan women’s team was like a punching bag in the African Women’s Championship.
For instance, the team was pummelled 8-0 by Nigeria on 17 October 1998. But in 2022, Nigeria’s Super Falcons struggled in vain and were eliminated by Morocco in the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
King Mohammed VI was born on 21 August 1963, the day the Nigeria Football Federation (Founded 1933, though they seemed not aware) clocked 30.
He is not the only royal person interested in sports. The imposing Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat is named after an uncle of King Mohammed VI, indicating the royal family’s strong obsession with sports.
Another indication could be gleaned from the picture of the trophy presentation to Real Madrid when the Spanish giants won the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.
The trophy was presented by Prince Moulay Al Hassan, the Crown Prince of Morocco. At the time he was making the trophy presentation, he was 11 years old.
King Mohammed VI’s passion for football is legendary. When Morocco won the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in 2023, coach Isaam Charai at the post-match conference rightly credited the Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI, as the inspiration for the astronomic rise in Moroccan football standard.
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AFCON
Nigerians, other nationals can apply, as CAF and Morocco Launch Volunteer Programme for AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Morocco have launched the official Volunteer Programme for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, billed to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
According to CAF, more than 4,000 volunteers will be recruited to play a central role in ensuring the success of Africa’s most prestigious football tournament, which will be staged across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.
Applications are now open at volunteers.cafonline.com and will close on 8 October 2025. The opportunity is open to anyone above the age of 18.
Volunteers will be deployed across multiple functional areas, including media operations, spectator services, accreditation, hospitality, and fan engagement. Selected individuals will receive professional training ahead of the competition and work behind the scenes to deliver a memorable AFCON.
CAF stated that the programme is designed not only to support tournament operations but also to create an alumni network of skilled Africans who can contribute to future sporting events across the continent. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Training and skill development.
- Official uniforms and certificates of participation.
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
- The chance to contribute to Africa’s football legacy.
Volunteer registration opened on 17 September 2025. Selection and training will take place in October and November, with operations commencing in mid-December through to the tournament’s conclusion on 18 January 2026.
CAF described the initiative as an “exciting opportunity” for Africans to contribute to the growth of the continent’s flagship sporting event, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to Morocco.
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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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